Derivatives

confutation

He quotes without confutation the assertion that ‘the globe may be surveyed and history may be reviewed in vain for any evidence of a considerable country in which want can be fairly attributed to an increasing population.’

Thus he deploys a vivid confutation of justification by works, even by the fervent ‘Sacrifice’ he has described in line 5.

When the child died a few days after, the prophet was abashed, and quite unable to account for this summary confutation.